


You Don't Have To Say You're Mine

by velvet_skyline



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arguing, Established Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Frat Boy Niall, Light Angst, M/M, Niall Horan & Harry Styles Friendship, Niall Horan & Louis Tomlinson Friendship, Secret Relationship, Student!Harry, Student!Louis, kinda breakup?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:14:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26198419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velvet_skyline/pseuds/velvet_skyline
Summary: “You’re what?” Louis said, now fully alert and aware that his boyfriend just agreed to go on a date with someone that wasn’t him.“Going on a date,” the younger boy casually replied, shrugging his shoulders and taking a sip of his beer. “Unless,” he said, looking at Louis directly, challenging him. “Unless you can think of a reason why I shouldn’t?”...Or the college AU where Louis and Harry have been secretly dating for a few months, Harry is tired of the lies, and Niall is the best friend anyone could ever ask for.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 139





	You Don't Have To Say You're Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I hope you all enjoy this one! It was honestly so much fun to write the little time skips! Let me know what you think! Mwah <3

Louis watched Harry quietly, a fond smile appearing on his face as he watched his boyfriend dance around their small kitchen while attempting to cook them lasagna for dinner. Louis watched for a few more seconds until Harry turned around, a quick yelp leaving his lips.

“Lou! You scared me,” he muttered while Louis laughed, walking forward to wrap his arms around Harry’s waist.

“Couldn’t help it. You looked so cute,” he mumbled, placing a small kiss on Harry’s collar bone.

The two had been dating for just over five months, and nobody was the wiser. It wasn’t like they were actively hiding their relationship, only they definitely were. He and Harry had already been roommates and best friends since before they realised they were head over heels for each other, so when Louis got the courage to finally ask Harry out, their friends were oblivious to the little development in their relationship.

“M’not cute,” Harry grumbled, “I’m sexy.”

“Hmm you definitely are baby,” Louis whispered, nipping at Harry’s jaw. _“Very sexy.”_

“Fuck, Lou,” Harry whispered, shuddering in his boyfriend’s embrace. “Bedroom. Now.”

Happy obliging, Louis grabbed Harry’s hand and pulled him through their apartment towards their bedroom, lasagne forgotten on the kitchen counter.

∘₊✧ ─── ✧₊∘

It was late afternoon, and Harry and Louis were lounging in their dorm common room. Louis was seated on the floor with his back against the legs of a sofa, with Harry seated comfortably in between his parted legs. Louis arms were wrapped around Harry’s waist as he gripped the Xbox controller in his hands, playing FIFA with Zayn and Liam.

“Take that Tommo!” Zayn cheered after scoring a goal, Harry giggling slightly at his boyfriend’s groan in disappointment. Harry loved how enthusiastic Louis got about football, even if the younger boy didn’t quite understand it himself.

“Fuck off Malik,” Louis groaned, flipping Zayn off. “I was distracted,” he muttered, peering down at the boy seated in between his legs. Harry grinned cheekily in return.

Zayn and Liam glanced at the two with slow smirks appearing on their faces. “Aww aren’t you two an adorable couple,” Liam cooed. Harry felt Louis tense around him. Liam had meant it as a joke but clearly that was the wrong thing to say.

“Ha ha,” Louis replied, rolling his eyes. “Very funny Payno.”

Harry cast his eyes downwards. It wasn’t funny, was it? Harry quickly excused himself and walked back to their apartment. After realizing what he said, Louis promptly stumbled after him, muttering a quick apology and goodbye to the boys, missing the knowing glance Liam and Zayn shared.

“Haz?” Louis called out into their dark apartment. “Harry?” He slowly walked over to their bedroom, peering at a sad Harry curled up on top of their bed. Louis slowly took off his shoes and climbed in next to him, wrapping his arms around the boy. “Hi baby.”

“I’m mad at you,” Harry simply replied. Louis sighed and dropped his head onto Harry’s shoulder.

“I know love. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that the thought of us together was funny, or a joke or anything because you know it’s not like that. I just panicked darling.”

Harry hummed, and turned around to face Louis. Louis tugged him closer, placing a light kiss on his forehead. “I just don’t want to rush this, or move too fast you know?”

“I know, love. I know,” Harry muttered back, tightening his grip around his boyfriend. “Sleep?” he suggested instead, not wanting to continue the argument that he knew would go nowhere.

“Yes please,” Louis replied, slowly bringing the duvet up and over them, the two drifting off to sleep together.

∘₊✧ ─── ✧₊∘

A few weeks later, the music in the frat house was blaring loudly, coloured lights flashing so brightly that Louis thought he might pass out from them alone. Niall had invited them to a party on a Friday night, as usual, and they were now situated in the middle of a living room, empty cups and beer bottles scattered around them. Dancing and swaying bodies moved around them, but Louis paid them no mind. His eyes were focused on the beautiful boy in front of him. He had been absent for most of their conversation, too busy enjoying being slightly tipsy, until a sudden sentence caught his attention.

“Look Haz, it’s been _how long_ since you last got laid?” Niall questioned.

 _It was last night actually,_ Louis thought to himself, smirking slyly and glancing over at his boyfriend. Harry however, simply looked down, avoiding both his and Niall’s looks. Harry wanted to voice the same words Louis was thinking, but that would start up a whole new conversation and Louis had made it clear he wasn’t ready for that yet.

“Exactly!” Niall yelled, taking his silence as an answer and swinging his beer bottle around. “Hazzy, poppet, I’m going to do you a massive favour. You know Nick Grimshaw yeah? We have Psychology with him?” he said, clearly missing how Louis’ eyes widened as soon as the name left his mouth. “Well he’s been going on and on for weeks about how fit he finds you and how badly he wants to take you out.”

Louis was absolutely seething at this point. Fuck Nick Grimshaw thinking he had a shot with _his_ Harry.

“So, like the absolutely amazing friend I am, I gave him your number and said he should totally ask you out! I think he’s planning on taking you out tomorrow!” Niall continued excitedly, oblivious to Louis obviously clenched fists and tight jaw.

 _Can’t wait until you tell him to fuck off_ , Louis thought to himself, scoffing at the idea of _his_ boyfriend going on a date with someone else.

“Okay yeah, why not?” Harry said instead.

And that’s definitely not what Louis expected.

“You’re what?” he said, now fully alert and aware that his boyfriend just agreed to go on a date with someone that wasn’t him.

“Going on a date,” the younger boy casually replied, shrugging his shoulders and taking a sip of his beer. “Unless,” he said, looking at Louis directly, challenging him. “Unless you can think of a reason why I shouldn’t?”

Louis gulped, a pit forming in his stomach. _Don’t be a fucking coward,_ he thought. _You’re really going to let Harry go on a date with someone else because you’re too shy to admit out loud you’re in love with him?_

“No,” he said instead, feigning indifference and casting his glance down. “Can’t think of why you shouldn’t go. Have fun.”

As soon as he looked up at Harry once again, he instantly regretted it. The younger boy was looking at him eyes and mouth wide open, eyebrows furrowed. He looked heartbroken. His expression didn’t last for long though, as he stood up with a quick scoff, mumbling something about getting a new drink and avoiding Louis’ eyes.

Harry didn’t come home that night.

∘₊✧ ─── ✧₊∘

Louis didn’t see his boyfriend until two days later. It was Monday morning, which meant both of them had a 10 am English lecture together. They usually sat next to each other, but Louis didn’t know where they stood. He didn’t know if they were okay. After Harry left the other day, Louis had called and texted about half a million times, until Harry got so fed up he simply texted ‘ _Sleeping at Niall’s. Just give me space Lou.’_

He called him Lou at least, which Louis thought was a good sign. The sleeping at Niall’s bit not so much.

By the time Louis reached the lecture hall Harry was already there, seated in their usual spot with the seat next to him vacant, almost beckoning. Harry’s eyes were sunken, and his curly mop of hair looked even more dishevelled than usual. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days. Louis thought that he must have looked the same. Inhaling deeply, Louis approached the empty chair next to Harry, looking down at the younger boy.

“Hey,” he said softly, unsure of how to act.

“Hi,” Harry replied, eyes glancing down at the empty seat beside him. Louis took that as an invitation, quickly siting down and peering over at the younger boy.

“Look, Haz,” Louis began, slowly reaching out to grab Harry’s hand that was resting atop the desk. Harry let him, slowly lacing their fingers together. Okay, Louis thought, that’s a good sign. “I’m sorry. I was a coward, and fuck I should have said something that night about us.”

Harry scoffed lightly, but kept their fingers locked together. “Yeah, you should’ve.”

“Baby I—”

“Good morning!” Their professor called out loudly, snapping Louis and Harry out of their quiet bubble. Louis cursed silently to himself. They would have to continue this later.

Louis looked over at a sad looking Harry, and mouthed “later?” Harry nodded and looked ahead, watching as their professor began reading off a projected presentation. They kept their fingers locked together for the entire hour that followed.

∘₊✧ ─── ✧₊∘

Their lecture had just ended, and Harry and Louis had just finished packing up their stuff. Silently, Louis followed Harry out the door of their lecture hall and outside near the quad.

“Haz, love please let me explain,” Louis began, but Harry quickly cut him off.

“I went out with Nick,” he said, so softly that Louis wasn’t sure if he heard him right. Surely he didn’t hear him right. “On Saturday, I-I went out with him. W-we didn’t do anything, but we got lunch and talked for a while.”

“What?” Louis replied, stopping in his tracks. His voice was barely above a whisper. Harry stopped beside him, and the two quickly sat down at a nearby bench. “Harry please tell me you’re joking. You’re joking right?”

Harry cast his eyes downwards and shook his head.

Louis sighed, anger slowly building. “I’m your boyfriend Harry, what the actual fuck?”

It was Harry’s turn to get angry now. “Are you Louis? Huh? Is that what we are? Because it sure as hell doesn’t seem like it!”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean Haz?”

“You know exactly what that means! Nobody knows we’re together! Fuck sometimes I’m not even sure!”

And Louis’ heart breaks. He never meant to make Harry question their relationship, or question the feelings he has for him. But Harry continues.

“Louis you can’t look at me and honestly tell me this is what a healthy relationship looks like. You don’t even want to hold my fucking hand in public because you’re afraid someone will find out! Who cares Lou? I feel like some dirty little secret all the goddamn time and its frustrating!”

Louis grips his hands tightly, tears threatening to spill from his glistening eyes. “Darling that’s not true. You’re not a secret. I just need a little bit of ti—”

“I know you want time, and obviously I respect that, I do, I really do,” Harry says softly, “but I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”

“Harry, what do you mean?” Louis whispers back, afraid to hear Harry’s answer.

“I mean that I love you, but I can’t be with you if you’re constantly going to pretend like we’re nothing.” And with that, Harry stands up, takes one last glance at Louis, and walks away. Louis didn’t even get to process the fact that Harry just said he loved him.

∘₊✧ ─── ✧₊∘

They weren’t broken up, or at least not officially. Harry was staying at Niall’s place and had sent him as a messenger to tell Louis to give him some time and space, and also pick up some of his clothes.

“Hey Tommo,” Niall said softly as Louis opened the door to the apartment. “C’mere.” He immediately engulfed him in a bone crushing hug, and Louis sank into the embrace, tears welling up in his eyes.

“How is he?” he mumbled into Niall’s chest.

“Honestly mate, he’s sad.”

“What, what did he tell you?” Louis asked timidly, and Niall pulled away slowly, staring Louis straight in the eyes.

“Look, Tommo, I know you two are together. And before you get mad or whatever, he didn’t tell me. I’m quite observant y’know? We all are.”

The two boys walked further into the apartment, taking a seat on the couch.

“How did you realize?”

“Louis, I’m not really sure how else to put it mate but you look at Harry like he’s the fucking sun. When he’s in the room you literally forget we all exist. It’s quite cute if I’m being frank. But honestly, I didn’t really put it together until that day at the frat house? When I brought up, y’know, Grimshaw.”

Louis’ eyes narrowed at the mention of him, and Niall grimaced. “Yeah mate, I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s fine Niall,” Louis sighed. “I was a dickhead. I can’t believe I screwed it up.” Niall frowned.

“Lou, mate, you haven’t screwed it up completely y’know. Harry loves you. He didn’t tell me exactly what happened but I’m pretty sure I know what its about. Liam and Zayn also told me about that day in the common room when you made a joke of you and Haz being together…” he trailed off. “So just tell me one thing. Why did you want to keep it a secret? You know we love you guys yeah?”

Louis frowned more. He really was an idiot. And all his friends already knew? He was being a prick to Harry for nothing then. “Honestly Nialler you’re going to think I’m an idiot,” he whispered.

“Try me.”

“Ok so, um, you know how my past relationships haven’t been the uh, lets just say they haven’t been the most successful. That prick Aiden who cheated, and then all the others who made me think we were something great when really they were just fucking around with me.” Niall nodded, urging Louis to continue.

“Well, Haz felt like the real deal. Like, _the one_ , as fucking cliché as that sounds,” he laughs weakly. “I just didn’t want to rush it, or have it become a huge thing only to blow up in my face the very next day. I, I _love_ him Niall. I really do. Fuck, I love him more than I ever thought it would be possible to love someone. And I didn’t want to scare him away. I’ve been told in the past that I’m too clingy or whatever, and I didn’t want him to think that, so I dunno, I went and pushed him away completely. Fuck.”

Tears were threatening to spill over now, and Niall scooped Louis up into another hug. Louis let the tears fall freely now.

“Does he know you love him?” Niall questioned softly, and Louis shook his head against the Irish boy’s chest. “Well have you tried telling him?”

“I don’t think he’ll want to talk to me,” Louis mumbled. “Ow!”

Niall thought that was worthy of a small smack on the head.

“Louis listen to me. That boy loves you to death. I’ve literally never met two people more perfect for each other. He’s been waiting for you to talk to him for a couple months now I reckon. Now go on, go get your boy back.” And Louis didn’t need to be told twice.

∘₊✧ ─── ✧₊∘

Louis knocked softly on the door to Niall’s apartment. Three taps. He could hear movement from the inside, and he knew Harry was there. “Haz?” He called out. “It’s me. I was wondering um, if we could talk?”

1, 2, 3 seconds went by until Louis could hear the sound of the door being unlocked, and he let out a sigh he didn’t know he was holding in. Slowly, the door was pulled open to reveal a tired looking Harry, and Louis glanced down at his outfit. He was wearing Louis’ sweater, and Louis swore he could melt right then.

“Hi,” Harry said meekly, moving slightly so Louis could enter.

“Hi,” Louis replied.

Harry walked over to the sofa and sat down, and Louis followed right behind him.

“So you said you wanted to talk..”

“Yes! Yes of course. Yeah I just,” he took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry. I never should have wanted to keep us a secret. I should have held your hand, and kissed you in front of everyone, and made it clear how much you mean to me. I should have told Grimshaw to fuck off, I should have told Liam and Zayn that they were right, we do make a cute couple. I should have done so many things because you deserve the world. Baby you deserve the world. I was just worried that I’d scare you away or something if we moved too fast, but I realized that it was just my dumb insecurities and that I was treating you so terribly. I’m so, so incredibly sorry, my love.”

Harry was crying now, quiet tears spilling out of his eyes as he listened. Louis moved closer, bringing his hands up to cup Harry’s cheeks, thumbs slowly rubbing the tears away. “I’ll never be able to make it up to you, but, if you let me, I will spend the rest of forever trying.” Harry finally brought his eyes up to meet Louis’ gaze.

“I love you Harry.”

“Lou,” Harry sobbed. “I love you.”

And they were kissing. Harry pulled Louis’ face towards his gently, wrapping his arms around his neck. Louis hands continued to caress Harry’s face, wiping away the residual tears. Their mouths moved in sync for a few more minutes until they both pulled away breathless, resting their foreheads against each other.

“We’re good right?” Louis asked quietly.

“We’re good,” Harry confirmed. “Just, no more hiding please?”

Louis kissed him again. “Of course, my love. No more. I promise.”

Harry giggled and pulled Louis closer, the two now cuddling on Niall’s couch.

“But, um, what about, Grimshaw?” Louis spit out.

“Yeah about that…” Harry trailed off. “When we ‘went out’ or whatever, we honestly really just discussed our psychology notes for the upcoming test.” Louis gaped.

“What?”

“Yeah love. Honestly I can’t even think of seeing someone else when you’re on my mind 24/7,” Harry chuckled lowly.

“Aw you cliché sap,” Louis cooed.

“Yeah yeah whatever you love me,” Harry replied back, both of them grinning at each other like madmen.

“Yeah,” Louis replied a little breathless.

“Yeah I really do.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments <3


End file.
